My daughter, the rebel

We've sorted out Edens transport which will be a story for another day.
It's been a chaotic week, I've still been busy with Eden shopping for Uni, working and all the other stuff Mums have to do.
Karate and Cubs started again so several evenings a week are taken up.
We're away this weekend, Eden's dog sitting, I  haven't packed a thing yet!
My phone broke so I wasted a whole morning trying to find the cheapest one I could that would do what I needed it to.
In amongst all this Eden wanted me to go with her for a consultation for a tattoo. She's wanted one for a while and she's had the design all drawn out for ages.
The tattoo place wasn't very busy and said that they could do it straight away which shocked her a bit I think.
She ummed and ahhed a bit but she went for it.

She was really pleased with the result, I had to hold her hand whilst it was being done as the tattoo is right on the top of her spine where there are loads of nerve endings and she doesn't have any fat on her to cushion them.

She's got cream on it here so it looks a bit wet.
The symbols are Greek and mean things like "freedom, courage and peace".
She did tell me what they all meant but I can't remember. She took each triangular symbol and made her own design with them.
She's the first one in the family to get a tattoo, even Malc  who spent years in the Navy hasn't got one.
I like the fact that that she can wear her hair down and it can't be seen when it's not appropriate  but when she's out with mates or clubbing she can put her hair up and wear a lower backed top to show it off.

Broken Hearts

It's been a busy emotional few days. Edens boyfriend of over a year decided that he doesn't want a "long distance relationship" when she goes to University so he broke up with her.                                                             

Unfortunately she didn't see it coming as he was saying all the right things about visiting her and moving up to be with her in her second year.
It certainly knocked her sideways and she was incredibly upset.
The plan was that him and his parents were going to take her to Uni so that plan is no longer and we're having to sort something else out which is proving a bit difficult.
The mini bus will definitely not make it and neither will my old banger so we were looking at hiring a car, that means that we can't all go though.
I'm a very cautious driver so the thought of motorway driving scares me to death, it's a five hour drive which is a shock to the system when the furthest you drive is to Asda three miles away!
We would have to leave the two oldest boys here, Soloman will probably come with us but Cody is travel sick so would probably go to Grandmas for the day, I know he's going to want to come with us so that's a battle I'm not relishing.
We can't think of anyone that could drive her for us so I'm not sure what we're going to do at the moment. We've got three weeks so I'm sure it'll get sorted.
Meanwhile I've been trying to keep Eden busy, we've been shopping for a few things for her new room up there.  She's been scouring charity shops for CD's as she's not going to have a TV so she'll listen to music instead.
I'm exhausted! I'm use to coming home and relaxing, doing a bit of  knitting or crocheting, or a spot of gardening instead I've  been traipsing round shops trying to colour coordinate cushions and knick-knacks!
She's been arranging to meet up with friends who all seem to have an earlier starting date than her, one is off today and a few are going next week but she's not going until the 24th of this month.
Hopefully she'll get swept away with the excitement of going and that'll raise her spirits.
Who'd be a mum I ask myself?
The boys will be back to schoolwork next week so I've got a few projects sorted.
We're camping next weekend so I'm hoping to visit a place that ties in with one of our projects.
I think the boys are going to find it a bit of a shock sitting down and studying and the last six weeks have been full of playing with mates, building dens and climbing trees!
As for today, I'm hoping for a quiet, restful Sunday.
We shall see!

The sun is back

Way to hot to walk the dogs today, I've done some more sitting in the garden, crocheting squares today.
As it's Bank Holiday most of the neighbours were up to something so I spent a couple of really quiet hours and managed to do six squares.
Cody and Soloman played with one of their friends and built this,

I have noticed that they are getting bigger, this one had two "rooms" inside.
Later this afternoon as neighbours returned home and more children were out playing the sprinkler was brought out again, so fun was had by all.
I'm now settling down in my armchair,crochet hook raring to go, let's see how many more squares I can make!

Feet in a bowl

It's cloudy today, typical Bank Holiday!

As it's a lot cooler than it has been of late we decided to give the dogs a walk before it heats up again.

We've had a couple of really light showers which are quite refreshing.

We've been out for nearly two hours and I'm now sitting in my chair, knitting bag beside me ready for when my feet have finished soaking in a bowl.

Not my feet I hasten to add, no mine are short and wide and the bowl isn't anything near as pretty, a blue washing up bowl I'm afraid! 

So you can see why I searched the 'net for a pretty picture.

You have been saved the scene, however the neighbour that came with us has been sent a snapchat of my actual feet in the actual bowl! You were spared,  believe me!

Children and water just don't mix!

After work yesterday I sat out in my front garden with my knitting bag watching lots of the neighbourhood children playing.
A couple of my neighbours came out and sat with me at various time and we enjoyed a cup of tea or ice cream together (I was out there for a fair while!)
One of the neighbours put a sprinkler on her hose and put it in the middle of the road. Luckily we live right at the end of it and there's no through traffic so we could move it if we needed to.

The little girl in the back of the picture actually laid down on the puddle she's sitting in and pretended to be a mermaid!

Unfortunately the neighbour is on a water meter so she only put it on for 20 minutes but they had so much fun in it.

Soloman had a sleep over last night at his friends house at the beginning of the road and had a great time. He's gone with his friend and Cody to a swimming pool today with his friends Mum.

They love this particular pool as they have a "fun hour" where they get out loads of inflatables and put the sprinklers on.

We've had a couple of showers today so I've had to get on with some housework! 

It's really hazy with oppressive heat and just not nice which is a shame.

Fingers crossed tomorrow will be better.

Can't wait for the storms!

More really hot weather here. I've been sat in the sunshine with my little band of knitters. Cody has now done five squares for #sixtymilliontrebles .
Here's one of them

I've got my circular needle out to knit another blanket.

The wool is cotton. I was given a bag of it a while ago and I thought the colours would go nicely for a blanket.
I've also now finished this for my friend whose baby is due at the beginning of next week.

I've done quite a few of these now. I've got one to finish off that I was knitting for my Mum to give to one of her friends whose daughter is due to have a baby at the beginning of September, I've had to wait for her to get another ball of wool as I'd run out.
The weathermen are saying we've got a lot of rain and some thunder and lightning due tonight and tomorrow.  I can't wait!

I hope it's a really good one that clears the air and cools everything down.
The neighbour that I help has been having various tests over the last couple of weeks. She's had some fluid taken off one lung as she can't seem to shift it, she's had some scans and Lung cancer has been mentioned. She's just rung me to say that she's got an appointment through for next Tuesday to get the results. So, positive vibes, prayers whatever you think appropriate would be greatly appreciated.  I really hope that it isn't bad news.
Haircuts are planned for tomorrow and although it's a Bank Holiday this Monday we've not got a lot planned for the weekend.  If the weather's not to hot or wet we may go on a few dogwalks with a picnic involved.
The two youngest are at a friends in his big pool, Cal and Clark have decided to go shopping with Malc so I have some time to myself and as I don't want to waste it I'm off to do some knitting.

Fireworks and more crochet.

Eden has a date for starting University,  24th September,  so not long now.

She went clubbing  with friends on Thursday evening and then Malc, myself, her and Luke went for a lovely meal on Friday dinnertime which was so nice as I hardly see her these days. 

I have started to put things away in a box for her for Uni but I'd better get a wriggle on as I want to get her some towels and a four piece dinner set. We've got saucepans and a frying pan. A colondar to drain her pasta and a pasta serving spoon as that's what she reckons she'll be living on!

On Thursday night whilst she was out the rest of us went to our local park to watch the fireworks over the bay again.

The boys and several of their friends went in the little paddling pool they have there,  even though it was pitch black and the water was freezing! They seem to love it though, we took snacks and replaced the wine with a flask of coffee as it was considerably colder down there this week.

We've had quite a bit of rain here in the last twenty four hours and you can see the garden looks lusher already, the plants are standing taller and looking greener so it was very much needed.

I have been indoors and catching up on crocheting squares for an ongoing project that I've been involved with for a while.

It's still for refugees, I crochet them along with other ladies and then we send them all to a lovely lady who sews them all up and sends them on to the charity that distributes them.

Today I'm giving Eden and two friends a lift to a concert mid afternoon. They're getting ready at a friends house which takes about three hours looking at the time she wants to get there, then we'll pick her up later, thankfully this side of midnight!

More of the same

Yesterday I taught three more youngsters to crochet.
We have our first two childrens squares done, both crocheted by Cody.
Look at the concentration on that little face, bless him.

Measuring the square to make sure it's definitely 6 inches square.

The finished products

Hopefully my little band of crafters will join me round my little table in the front garden again tonight and we'll spend a productive hour hooking and knitting. Three more of the children have done half a square so I'm hoping we"ll have some more finished tonight.
In other news,
We went to Southampton Hospital for Callum's three month check on Monday and everything was perfect, no loose metalwork. He has to go back in 9 months for his year check and hopefully to be signed off.
There's rain forecast later which is good because I'm so fed up with lugging round the watering can to water the hanging baskets and pots every night.
Tomorrow is results day so Eden is taking me back to her school so we can get them, she's half looking forward to it and half dreading it!
 I've also got food shopping and one of the dogs is going to the groomers.
So I'm off into the garden with my knitting bag to enjoy the sunshine before that rain comes!

More stars, more sun and more knitting.

Saturday evening we sat outside the front of our house, took a bottle of wine and waited for it to get dark. By the time it was dark two more neighbours had joined us with their children and the wine bottles seemed to have mysteriously multiplied too! Funny that!
All the children were lead on blankets with their quilts over them looking at the skies. We did mange to see a few shooting stars but a great time was had by all. I think by the time it had got dark we had actually forgotten what we were there for!
I have spent most of the weekend sitting out talking to anyone passing and my needles didn't stop.
I have taught a couple of the local children to knit and they sit with me. Yesterday I had two new recruits, brother and sister. The lad was a bit reluctant at first? I guess because "boys don't knit!" I chatted to him about fishermen knitting and he asked to have a go. I can honestly say he's the easiest person ever I've taught.  I showed him one row and he was off.
I'm hopeful that they are going to either knit or crochet a six inch square for the #sixtymilliontrebles  that I'm involved in. The organiser would like the squares knitted by the children to be made into a border for the whole blanket which I think is a brilliant idea.
So to finish off some pictures of the children doing their thing. I did have six of them participating at one time but didn't manage to get a picture of them all together

A tad too much sun

This is me today, well it obviously isn't actually me but you get my drift.

I sat out in the front garden yesterday with the intention of finishing the last strip for my blanket for sixty million trebles.  
The group can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under that name by the way.
In fact I did very little knitting as one of my neighbours came over and sat with me and we drank tea, ate biscuits and watch the happenings of the road.
Several people who went by came and sat and chatted for a while and then left to go on with their business and although I can knit and talk at the same time I kept putting my knitting down so I didn't meet my target for the day.
Another unfortunate is that I didn't realise how long I was sat there and how hot the sun was so this morning the face of the lady  looking back at me was very red and shiny! That'll be my nose peeling by the end of the week then!
 Last night Malc, myself, Soloman and Cody got some blankets and settled ourselves in the front garden to stargaze again.
We saw quite a few shooting stars, I thought Soloman would burst, he was so excited.
Both the boys are real fidgets though so I kept getting an elbow in the chest or hip, they kept sitting up as they kept hearing noises which spooked them.
So we only lasted an hour but it was good fun.
Today the boys have gone crab fishing with a friend and his Mum so I'd better get off the Internet and get those needles out and try and catch up with the target I set myself!

Shooting Stars

We went to see the fireworks last night which were lovely.
The children played in the park and paddled in the little pool they have there.
Whilst we were waiting for the fireworks I saw one shooting star (and lots of planes! )
We got home at about 10-40 pm and one of my neighbours that had come with us with her daughter was going to put a blanket down and lay in her back garden to hopefully see some more and asked I'd I wanted to join her.

Well I did and we saw loads of shooting stars, some were spectacular.
It was so relaxing, chatting and exclaiming over every one we saw. They're all pretty much the same but the excitement every time we saw one was just so funny you can't help but exclaim "There's one!"
Unfortunately I didn't get to bed until nearly 2am and I'm already awake so I think  it's going to be a long day!
It was worth it though

Today's dog walk

I've managed to change my working hours recently so that I have three Thursdays a month off.
So we decided to walk the dogs early before it got too hot. Malc and Clark took the two Staffies out as any longer than 30 minutes of running around leaves them panting and as much as I love them I don't fancy giving them the kiss of life!
The little dogs seem to be able to take the heat more although they still only had 45 minutes. I really don't want to pay vets bills for dogs that have collapsed through heatstroke when it can be avoided.
So we took them to some heathland just down the road from us.
We didn't meet anyone and walked through this glorious heathland.
Everyone up ahead which is the norm as I'm a slow walker!

It goes on for miles

So much gorgeous purple Heather

Soloman and Cody

When we got home we all had an ice cream out of the freezer and I did the dogs a big bowl of cold water complete with ice cubes.
I've spent the afternoon knitting my fourth strip for my refugee blanket. I hope to start sewing them together tomorrow and then crocheting a border round it.
I've also made this Dorset Apple Cake which has already been cut!

Tonight we are going to a local park where we can see the town fireworks being let off at 10pm. We take down a drink and some snacks and the children play in the playpark with a couple of their friends that we take with us until they are let off.
Good fun is had by all.

Two birds with one stone.

Old readers of my blog will know that I help one of my neighbours and her son. Things have definitely improved in their house and lives.
Unfortunately two members of S's family have died this year, pretty much all of the older generation of her family have now died and she's been very depressed and has taken to staying in bed. She was persuaded to get up for a few weeks several months ago but a series of falls seems to have put her back into a depressed mood and she's been in bed again for several weeks.
Yesterday Malc and oldest son Callum went over to put up a new curtain rail at the bottom end of her lounge so I persuaded  her to get up to keep an eye on them.
This morning she rang me to tell me that she had got up again and as Malc and Cal had gone down the tip, one child was at work and another round their Grandmas that only left the two youngest so I popped over to her and tempted her outside into my front garden with the lure of a cup of tea and a piece of banana and walnut cake that I made yesterday.
This lady has not been out of her house in 2 1/2 years except for a hospital visit to have a cateract done months and months ago so I was astounded when she said yes.
After nearly tipping her out of her wheelchair at least twice just getting across the road we settled her in the garden. She spoke to several neighbours that went by and although I'd said to just come over for half an hour she ended up staying for two hours.
This was brilliant for me because I've joined a new project, sixty million trebles. I put up their poster a couple of posts ago but I'll put it up at the end of this post again.
So for two hours I sat and knitted, I know in the morning,  in the sunshine and everything! Absolute heaven.

I have to do four of these panels so I'm nearly halfway through it and then I'll crochet round it.
So if you feel like joining in all the information is on this poster.

They also have a Facebook page, just tap in sixty million trebles, they're on Twitter and Instagram too under the same name.
Go check them out.

Manic Monday

I came home from Mums this morning to a rather large lorry outside our house delivering a pallet of Ikea catalogues that Malc is set to deliver next week. We do live in quite a small road but I've never seen a lorry go backwards and forwards so many times just to get parallel to the kerb!
They eventually managed it and then left the pallet half on the drive and half on the front lawn for some reason!
Malc and Callum were over a neighbours putting up a curtain poll for them so I got on with some ironing.
The boys were building this in the front garden with some of their friends.

I eventually sat down with a cup of tea and some cheese on toast for lunch.
Cal has gone to do one of his customers gardens for an hour and then we're going to get the boys and their friends to form a line from the pallet in the garden up to the loft passing the catalogues along to each other  and try and fit all 1080 Ikea catalogues in it.
Wish me luck!

I'm back!

Thought I would post this, my new project

Any knitters or crocheters out there who would like to join in?
Life continues at a fast pace here.
Eden is off to University of East Anglia in September.  I'm busy buying essentials like towels and saucepans for her at the moment.
Cal has recovered really well from his second operation, we have his three month check next Monday.
The three youngest are outside all the time and enjoying this lovely weather. They are as brown as berries.
I would really love to return to blogging but we'll see how it goes!

All work and no play

Makes Jack a dull boy! That's me, Jack!
Easter was peaceful,  had some nice dog walks. This week has been really busy, helping neighbour, helping Mum, housework, keeping track of young lads going to the park, to their "tree camp" and going down to the backwaters.
I have however managed to knit this

Since this picture was taken I've also knitted the two sleeves and I'm halfway up the front, so hopefully the next picture will be of a completed hoodie.

A Relaxing Day

The first one I've had in ages.
We decided to walk the dogs along a local beach, although living on the Jurassic coast on a Bank Holiday with glorious sunshine meant it was very busy!
Fun was had by all though

I do love where we live.

Another Birthday

Stepdad this time. Ed was 70 on Monday. We were booked to go out for lunch after I'd taken Ed to hospital for a scan and brought him home. Cody was looking after Grandma. Unfortunately we returned to Mums house to Cody throwing up everywhere!
Plans were cancelled and rebooked for today, luckily it must have been something he ate as nobody else has had it ( she hastily touches something wooden! )
Ed blowing out his candles.

I had made him a cake but it wouldn't last until today so we had to make do with a shop bought one.
Soloman sucking a lime, as you do!

Callum being "cool"

Eden was with us but she doesn't like her photo taken unless it's a selfie!
Clark has been out visiting the seaside with a friend all day. He should be home soon, I should think he'll be blue, it's freezing here today.

In the scheme of things

I've just  spent the last hour writing a post about  the last three weeks, of several members of the families ill health, missed appointments, my general increasing busyness and also increasing stress levels.
I read it through before publishing and found I just couldn't click that button. In light of what's happened in Brussels this morning my last three weeks are nothing.
Just general inconvenience.
Last week we aquired another teenager in the house.

 I made the cake , he decorated it,

I sneaked up on him before he got up to open his cards and presents

The week that was my birthday

Tuesday!  Seems so long ago now.
The cake that Cal and I made

 I had a lovely day, we went out for a meal in the evening which was wonderful.
I received quite a few bunches of flowers, here's one of them.

We went to Southampton Hospital for Callum's year check on his back.  He was signed off only for us to receive a phone call when we got home saying that one of the clips and two screws had come loose at the top of his spine. Apparently they'd taken a closer look at his xrays and seen it.
We were meant to get a call on Friday morning to sort out what Callum's options are now, having heard nothing by lunchtime I then rang them about every twenty minutes for a couple of hours only to eventually speak to somebody who told me the person I needed to speak to had left at lunchtime.
So I left a rather sarcastic message on their ansamachine asking them to ring me first thing on Monday morning.
Callum was devastated by the news and is saying that he doesn't want another operation.
I can't say I blame him, he didn't have the best of times a year ago when he had his big operation. I'm just so annoyed that firstly he was signed off and secondly left all over the weekend not knowing his options.  He's been asking me so many questions and I just can't answer them as I don't have any information.
Yesterday was spent in A & E again with my Stepdad, he was diagnosed with pneumonia!
Today has been spent very quietly at home, we picked Eden and Luke up at 2 am as they'd been nightclubbing and although we didn't get up early this morning I think my body is too old for these odd hours! That's why you nightclub at eighteen not fifty!
I'm really hoping that next week is going to be a bit calmer, but I won't hold my breath!

Signs of Spring

Saturday was spent very quietly. We picked Eden and a few friends up from a party on Friday night, two of them were staying at ours. When they got home they decided they wanted noodles! We got to bed at about 1am! Luke had to be at work at 8am and Eden at 9am so I got up early to make sure they were watered and fed as I  knew that they would get up at the last minute possible .
I made muffins this morning and Clark decorated them.

I bought the little eggs for Easter cakes but I thought we'd start them a little early.
I've also made the sponge for my birthday cake which I'm hoping to ice tonight. I'm picking up a plaque tomorrow afternoon to put on it.
I hope to post a picture of it tomorrow.
My dining table is a blaze of beautiful colour and perfume at the moment.
The hyacinths smell absolutely divine, when you open the door in the morning it just hits you.

Not a lot to blog about really,  quiet weekend!

The scam that is car insurance!

We have spent most of this week looking at cars for Eden. We looked at a couple, looked up insurance and dismissed the car within five minutes of looking at it!

Eden's boyfriend was also looking at cars this week and on Wednesday evening he found one and bought it. He'd spent the day cleaning his inside and out ready to sell it.

As he didn't have to spend as much as he thought he would on his new car he offered his old one to Eden at quite a good price.

We knew the insurance would be fine as we knew what he was paying.

So Eden bought it.

(Not her car, she would never buy pink!)
Luke was gutted he'd spent most of the day cleaning it only for Eden to have it!

On Thursday we rang up the insurance company that she'd got the best quote from.

The down payment and monthly payments aren't too bad.  We went halves on the down payment and we're paying the monthly payments,  she's paying her own petrol and Tax.

Honestly how youngsters can afford a car nowadays astounds me!

Her excess is £500 but if she "volunteers " another £450 it bring her insurance down even more.

Basically if she has an accident the car will be a write off.

It's costing us £1,366 to insure a car she bought for £500.

So we are paying for fully comprehensive insurance which is cheaper than third party, fire and theft for any third party involved in an accident with her because if she has any damage to her car it won't be worth claiming!

What a  crock!

She's legal

She's got her own car and she's on the road. You have been warned!

A weekend of baking

My opportunity for my first act of kindness for Lent came faster than I thought it would. I rang my Mum as usual as I do every night only to find my Step dad had a bad foot, it was a bit discoloured and tracking up his leg so fearing  DVT which he's had before I took him to A and E.
Although the Juniors Doctors strike was on it was quite empty when we got there and we were seen very promptly.
Unfortunately for us there were a lot of people being brought in by ambulances and there were four Code Blue, resus in 5 minutes announced so things started taking longer and longer. Thankfully DVT was ruled out and after an X-ray and blood tests an infection was diagnosed and antibiotics given.
We arrived there at 6-15 pm and left at 11-45 pm.
Thursday we were all so tired, how I went to work I don't know? 11-45pm is waayyyy past my bedtime!
On Friday night Eden had a little soirée to go to with Luke and some friends so she took my car, she brought it back in one piece!
She's looking out for her own car and although we've seen a few either the insurance or the Tax has been quite high. She knows the kind of thing she's looking for but we just can't seem to find it.
She's on Half Term this week so I think we'll set aside some time to go actively looking.
Saturday morning Soloman and Cody helped me do a load of baking.
Cody helped me make a trifle for tea on Sunday

Soloman help me make some bacon diamonds with puff pastry

And some pizzas, we made the base in the bread maker and then put the tomato puree on and then everyone chose their toppings

I made a chicken in white wine sauce pie

Then I made these

Into this

For Valentines Day.
Today has been sunny but cold, we've managed to clean the rabbits, a horrible job to do in the rain and I watch the weather and try and clean them out in between days of showers.
We're forecast some really cold weather over the next few days, the word snow has been mentioned for the top of Dorset, to mine and the boys disappointment we live in the South!
I'm looking forward to reading blogs from people further up the UK though and seeing all their snowy pictures!